Lubricating apparatus



Dec. 22, 1931. H. J. MURPHY LUBRICATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet.

Filed Oct. 9, 1926 I n've nior:

Dec. 22, 1931. H. J. MURPHY 75 6 LUBRICAT ING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 9, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 III/II/llll/lz/Inviz/11111111,;;il;l;i;,,',,

lII/lI/Illllllllllliizhiililllllllilllilr1 H. J. MURPHY LUBRICATING APPARATUS Dec. 22, 1931.

Filed 001;. 9, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 III n Inventor:

cord JJIv Pat ented Dec. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOWARD J. MURPHY, OF REQI Ihllfif MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T ALEMITE CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE This invention aims toprovide improvements in lubricating apparatus, and more particularly to improvements in centrahzed lubricating systems.

In the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention Figure 1 is a general view of a central lubricating system used in connection wlth a motor vehicle;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the pump, being partly in elevation and showing one position of the suction and atmospheric valve mechanism. I Fig. 3 is a view of the pump similar to that shown in Fig. 2, but showing the other 1 position of the valve mechanism; Y

Fig. 4 is an elevation view of the control device for the entire system;

Figs. 5 and'6 are cross-sectional views tak en on the line 55 of Fig. 4, showing the sliding part of the control device in its two operating positions;

Fig.7 is-a plan section through the upper end of the pump showing the passages and ports and also showing the dotted positions of the valve part; and

Fig. 8 is a section through the pump 0 the line 88 of Fig. 2.

Referring tothe embodiment of my invention illustrated by 'the drawings, I have shown a centralized lubricating system which is particularly adapted for use in connection with lubricating the bearings of a motor vehicle chassis or of a machine.

In Fig. 1, I have shown the system as applied to motor vehicles. This system includes a lubricant supply reservoir, which in this instance is the crankcase 1 of the motor 2, a vacuum pump 3, a plurality of chargedetermining lubricant cups 4, a plurality of conduits forming a pipe system connecting these parts and a control device 5.

The cups 4 are of substantially the same construction and operate in substantially the same manner as more fully shown and described in my co-pending application Serial No. 80,244 filed January 9th, 1926. These cups may be of any other suitable construction, however.

When the crankcase of the engine is used LUBRICATING nrrnnnirus Application filed October 9, 1926. Serial- No. 140,518.

as a supply reservoir, he pipe which connects with the pump m y be connected to the lubricant pump usually used in ,connection therewith for forcing lubricant to the bearings of the engine.

The pump 3 is mounted upon the dash 5a (Fig. 1) and includes (as shown in Figs. 2 and 3) a relatively large chamber 6 in which operates a piston 7 having connected thereto a piston 8 of relatively smaller cross-sectional area and operable in a lubricant chamber 8a. The piston 7 is driven in first one direction and then the other, in the chamber 6, by alternately creating a partial vacuum at first one side and then the other of the piston 7. At the same time, atmospheric pressure is admitted to the chamber 6 at'that side of the piston 7 opposite the side -at which the vacuum is created. In order to alternate the admission of" suction and of atmosphere to the sides of the piston 7 I provide a quick-acting valvular mechanism which is connected through lost motion means with the piston 7 for operation thereof.

The valvular means and lost motion connection' include a disk-like valve part 9, carried at one endof a lever 10, pivoted upon the pump casing as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a rod 11 slidably connected to the piston 7 and a spring 12 connecting the rod 11 with theother end of the lever 10. The under side of the valve part 9 is hollowed so that it may communicate with at leasttwo of a' plurality of ports, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, which connect with passages providing for exhausting the air from the chamber 6 at first one side and then the other of the piston 7. The port'13 and passage 14 provide'for the admission of suction or atmosphere at one side of the piston 7, and the port 15 and passage 16 provide for the same at the opposite side of the piston, while the port 17 and passage 18 connect with the conduit19, which connects the pump with the manifold 20 of the engine (Fig. 1). Suction in the manifold provides the means for exhausting the air from the pump at one side-of piston- 7.

The valve part 9 is always in communication with the port 17, but alternates in its communication with the ports 13 and 15 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

During reciprocation of the pistons 7 and 8, lubricant passes from the reservoir or crankcase 1 through the conduit 21 into the inlet end of the chamber 8a and is forced therefrom through the pipe system 22 connected at the outlet end of the chamber 8a. Valvular means, in the form of a threaded plug 23, carrying a cup leather 24 engaging the wall of a chamber at the outlet end of the chamber 8a, is screwed into the lower end of the pump, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The cup leather 24 permits lubricant to pass out of the lubricant chamber 8a, but prevents 'return'of the lubricant from the pipe system further entrance of lubricant and thereafter 22 during the filling stroke of the piston 8.

The control device 5 may be mounted'upon the instrument board 24a of the motor vehicle, as shown in Fig. 1, so that it may be within easy reach of the operator. This device includes a casing made up of several bored parts secured together, a sliding valvular part 25 andv adjustable detent means for holding the sliding valvular part 25 in one of its positions. The suction conduit 19 bypasses through the control device as does also a conduit 26 which connects the pipe system 22 with the crankcase 1, as shown in Fig. 1. Thus the sliding valvular part 25' may control the suction to the pump 3, the pressure of the lubricant in the system and return of lubricant to the crankcase 1.

The detent means includes a ball 27 adapt- I ed to engage a groove 28 in the part 25, when .pressed inwardly as shown in Fig. 5, a spring movement of. the sliding valvular part 25 may be varied.

'Whenever it is desirable to lubricate the bearings of the vehicle, which are connected by the central system, the operator need merely press inwardly on the button 32 of the control device until the ball 27 snaps into the groove 28, as shown in Fig. 5. This action moves the sliding valvular part 25 to a position which aligns the groove 25a in the part 25 with the conduit 19 so that air may be exhausted from the pump chamber 6. The outer end portion 25b, of the part 25, then closes the by-pass of the conduit 26 through the control device 5, so that the lubricant cannot return from the pipe system 22 to the crankcase 1.

If, when the button 32 is pressed, the engine 2 of the vehicle is not running, nothing further takes place than that described in the above paragraph. If, however, the englue is running, or when it begins to run, the

7 pump 3 will commence operating and lubricant will be forced by the piston 8 through the pipe system to the cups 4 until the lubriby suction through the passage 14 and port 13 to the valve 9, then through the port 17 and passage 18 to the conduit 19. At the same time, the port 15 is uncovered by the valve and atmospheric pressure will be admitted to the upper side of the piston 7 and drive it downwardly in the chamber 6. As the piston 8 is carried by the piston 7, it will be moved downwardly in the chamber 8a to cover the .inlet opening and prevent force a charge of lubricant past the washer 24 into the pipe system 22. Toward the end of the stroke of the piston 7, the shoulder 33 on the part 35 carried by the piston will engage the shoulder 34 on the rod 11 and further movement of the piston will carry the rod 11 along with it. The spring 12 will then 16. Atmospheric pressure will be admitted to the lower side of the piston 7 through the uncovered port 13 and passage 14. Thus the pistons 7 and 8 will be driven upwardly. Be-

fore the piston 7 reaches the end of its upward stroke, the wall 37 at the end of the elongated chamber 38 in the part 35 will engage the free end of the rod 11, and move the rod to snap the valve 9 from the position shown in Fig. 3 back to the position shown in Fig. 2. During the beginning and mid portion of the piston stroke, there is no movement of theirod 11 because the chamber 38 is sufiiciently long to permit such movement of the piston before the shoulders 33 and 34 or the wall 37 and end of the rod engage. This arrangement provides for quick action 3 the valve 9 at each end of the stroke of the piston.

During the upward stroke of the piston 8, suction is created in the chamber 8a, but lu bricant cannot return from the pipe system 22 because of the cup leather 24, and only after the piston has passed the inlet passage can lubricant refill the chamber 8a. The operation of the pump 3 continues in the manner above described until the cups 4 are filled and discharged and even then continues operation until the pressure in the pipe system 22 and the conduit 26, as faras the end of the slide valve part 25, is suflicient to move the slide valve 25 and dislodge the ball 27 from the groove 28. The sliding part 25 will then be moved automatically by the lubricant to the position shown in Fig. 6, so that the suction through the conduit 19 will be cut 0E and the bypass through the device 5 for the lubricant will be open-ed. "The pump 3 will then stop and the lubricant will fiow from the cups 4 and the pipe. system 22 through the conduit 26,back to the crankcase l and relieve the pressure in the system. The measuring and dischargingmeans in the cup ,4 may then resume their normal positions.

The system illustrated and described is simple in constructipn and operation. The button 32 may be pressed by the operator and thereafter every operation is automatic so that the operator need not pay further attention as to when the bearings are completely lubricated. The control device is antomatically operated, when lubrication is complete, to stop the pump, relieve the pressure in the system and permit all parts to return to their normal inoperative positions, so that they may be ready for immediate operation when the button is again pressed to set the system for operation.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereby, my invention being best defined-in the following claims.

Claims: I

1. A central lubricating system comprising a lubricant supply reservoir, a pump, a source of operating power therefor, a plurality of lubricant cups for discharging lubricant to parts to be lubricated, conduit means connecting the-supply reservoir, pump and cups and a single control device having a stem which when operated in one direction connects said source with said pump and thereby causes the pump to operate and force lubricant to said cups and when operated in the opposite direction disconnects said source and pumpand thereby prevents further operation of said pump and relieves the pressure of the lubricant in said conduit means.

2. A central lubricating system comprising, in combination, a supply reservoir, a'suction operated pump, a plurality of lubricant cups for discharging lubricant to parts to be lubricated, a conduit connecting the pump with the reservoir, a pipe system connecting the pump with the cups, a single control unit for the entire system, a conduit for bypassing lubricant in the pipe system through the control unit to the reservoir, suction means connected with said pump by a/conduit also bypassing through the control unit, and means operable to prevent flow of lubricant from the pipe system back to the reservoir while at the same time opening the bypass for the suction to the pump thereby to operate said pump to force lubricant to the lubricant cups.

3. A central lubricating system comprising, in combination, a supply reservoir, a suction operated pump, a plurality of lubricant cups for discharging lubricant to parts to be nected with said pumpby a conduit also bypassingthrough the control unit, and said control unit having'valvular means operable to close the bypass for the lubricant back to the reservoir while at the same time opening thebypass to admit suction to the pump.

4-. A central lubricating system comprising, in combination, a supply reservoir, a suction operated pump, a plurality of lubricant cups for discharging lubricant to parts to be lubricated, a conduit connecting the pump with the reservoir, a pipe system connecting the pump with the cups, a single control unit for the entire system, a conduit for bypassing lubricant in the pipe system through the control unit to the reservoir, suction means connected with said pump by a conduit also by: passing through the control unit, said control unit comprising a casing having a single slidable member located therein for opening and closing the bypass for the suction and the bypass for the lubricant;

5. A central lubricating system comprising, in combination, a supply reservoir, a suction operated pump, a plurality of lubricant cups for dischzzrging lubricant to parts to be lubricated, a onduit connecting the pump with the reservoir, a pipe system connecting the pump with the cups, a single control unit for the entire system, a conduit for bypassing lubricant in the pipe system through the control unit to the reservoir, and suction means connected with said pump by a conduit also bypassing through the control unit, said control unit comprising a casing having a single slidable member located therein for opening andclosing the bypass for the suction and the bypass for the lubricant, said slidable member operable by hand to open the suction bypass and close the lubricant bypass and operable by lubricant under pressure to open the lubricant bypass and close tlfifict on bypass.

6. In a central lubricating system having a lubricant supply, a lubricant pipe system and a vacuum pump for forcing lubricant through the pipe system, a combined pump control and lubricant pressure relief device inserted in the pipe system and in a conduit connecting the pump with a source of vacu-' 7. In a central lubricating system having a lubricant supply, 'a lubricant pipe system and a vacuum pump for forcing lubricant through the pipe system, a combined pump control and lubricant pressure relief device;

a lubricant conduit leading through said control device and a vacuum conduit" leading .through said control device.

8. In a central lubricating system having a lubricant supply, a lubricant pipe system and a vacuum pump for forcing lubricant through the pipe system, a combined pump control and lubricant pressure relief device, a lubricant'conduit leading through said control device, a vacuum conduit leading through said control device and a slide valve element operable to open one of said conduits while closing the other of said conduits.

bricant pressure in the opposite direction to close the vacuum conduit and open the lubricant conduit.

10. In a central lubricating system having a lubricant supply, a plurality of points to be lubricated and a pipe system connecting said points with the lubricant supply, a suction-operated pump inserted in the plpe system for forcing the lubricant to the points to be lubricated, said pump having a piston operable in opposite directions by alternately admitting atmospheric pressure to opposite sides of said piston while admitting suction at the side opposite the side at which the atmosphere is admitted, means providing a plurality of ports and a disklikevalve adapted to be operated by the movement of said piston to control the admission of atmosphere and suction to said piston.

11. In a central lubricating system having a lubricant supplv, a plurality of points to be lubricated and a pipe system connecting said points with the lubricant supply, a suction operated pump inserted in the pipe system for forcing the lubricant to the points to be lubricated, said pump having a piston operable in opposite directions by alternately admitting atmospheric pressure to opposite sides of said piston while admitting suction at the side opposite the side at which the atmosphere is admitted, means providing a pluralitv of ports and a disklike valve communicating with one of said ports at all times and adapted to be moved by movement of said piston to alternately communicate with and uncover each of the other of said ports.

12. In a central lubricating system having a lubricant supply, a plurality of points to be lubricated and a pipe system connecting said points with the lubricant supply, a suction-operated pump inserted in the pipe system for forcing the lubricant to the points to be lubricated, said pump having a piston operable in opposite directions by alternate lv admitting atmospheric pressure to opposite sides of said piston while admitting suction at the side opposite the side at which the atmosphere is admitted, means providing a plurality of ports, a disk-like valve for duced pressure source of power, a manuallyoperable valve in said conduit, and means responsive to the lubricant pressure in said pipe for closing said valve.

14:. In a central lubricating system, the combination of a source of lubricant, a lubricant pipe system, a poweroperated pump for forcing lubricant from said source to said pipe system, means manually operable to control the supply of power to said pump, means operable upon a predetermined pressure of lubricant in said pipe system automatically to actuate, said control means to out 01f the supply of power to said pump, and adjustable means for predetermining the lubricant pressure necessary to operate said last-named means.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HOWARD J. MURPHY, 

